Between 2 Hearts – Episode 18

The royal dining table was a vision of opulence, laden with mouthwatering dishes that filled the air with savory aromas. The room was alive with laughter and conversation as they welcomed Nathan back home.

Queen Lala’s warm smile greeted Nathan. “It’s so good to see you, Nathan. I’ve heard so much about you.”

 “Thank you, Your Majesty.”Nathan bowed his head respectfully.

 “How is your father? It’s been a while since we last spoke.” He said.

 “He’s fine, just getting his campaign settled.”

Diva’s enthusiasm was evident. “He’s going to be our next governor, I’m sure of that.”

 “Hope so. He’s really doing his best in the campaign, and his opponent isn’t giving him any breathing space.”Alex said.

 “His father is a nice man. He’s been helpful to a lot of people.” Queen Lala said.

 “I’ll support him. He deserves the post.”King Luke said.

The table fell silent for a moment, the only sound the clinking of silverware against plates as they savored the delicious meal. 

  Some minutes later, Alex and Nathan strolled around the house, chatting and laughing together.

Nathan’s eyes widened as he took in the opulent surroundings.

   “Your house is amazing. It’s always been my wish to visit the palace.”

 “You’re always welcome to come whenever you want.”Alex smiled warmly.

 “Of course, this is my second home.”Nathan grinned.

Their laughter echoed through the halls as they continued their leisurely stroll.

 “So, how are you and Elora doing? Any improvement on taking it further?”

“Well…”He hesitated, his eyes clouding over. 

 “You really don’t have to force yourself, Alex. I know you too well. You can’t hide it from me.”

“You don’t believe I’ll marry Elora, that she’s my future bride, chosen for me?”

 “I don’t know, it’s your decision to make. But I don’t see the deep love in your eyes. You don’t love her, you just like her because she’s your betrothed.”

 “I do love Elora.”

 “I know love when I see it.”

The two friends continued walking, Alex realized he had left his phone in his room.

 “Let me get my phone.” He excused himself and walked away.

   

Nathan continued his leisurely stroll, turning a corner of the building. Suddenly, he collided with Mia, who was carrying a bowl of water. The water spilled all over him, and Mia fell to the ground, groaning in pain.

 “Oh my!” he exclaimed, bending down to help Mia.

“Are you okay?” he asked politely, his hand reaching out to assist her.

Mia, still groaning, slowly raised her face to meet Nathan’s gaze. As their eyes locked, she felt an inexplicable spark. She couldn’t believe the angelic face staring back at her – those piercing grey eyes left her breathless. Mia found herself lost in their depths, her mind wandering into a dreamlike state.

Nathan’s hand gently brushed against her face, trying to bring her back to reality. “Hello, are you okay?” he asked again.

Mia jolted out of her reverie, quickly scrambling to her feet. “Um, I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…” she stuttered.

 “It’s okay, but are you okay?” he asked once more.

Just as Mia began to apologize again, Naomi rushed over to them. “Mia!” she exclaimed, taking in the scene before her.

Naomi’s eyes widened in surprise, and she hurried to Mia’s side. Nathan stood by, watching the exchange with interest.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Naomi asked, inspecting Mia’s body.

 “I’m fine, but he’s not,” she said, nodding towards Nathan.

  “Who’s he?”.she whispered to her ear.

   “I don’t know, I just bumped into him and spilled dirty water on him’.she whispered back.

  “Are you two talking about me?”.He asked staring and smiling at them.

Naomi’s gaze turned to Nathan, taking in his water-soaked clothes. “Um, I’m sorry for what my little sister did to you. You can take off the clothes, and I’ll wash and iron them for you immediately.”

Nathan’s smile was gracious. “It’s okay, it’s just a mistake.”

An awkward silence fell between them until Alex’s voice echoed through the hallway, calling out to Nathan.

Naomi quickly grabbed Mia’s hand, and they took off in a hurry, Nathan staring after them in surprise.

 “Why are they running?” he asked.  “Alex, do you have anything to do with this? Are they scared of you?” he pressed.

 “I don’t know.”

“Do they work here too? Are they maids? Because I don’t see them in uniform like the rest.”

 “They’re not maids. They’re just employed to work here.”

“Okay.” As he glanced at Alex, he noticed a hint of sadness in his eyes. “It seems to me that something is going on,” Nathan said, his voice laced with concern.

Alex’s response was to walk away, leaving Nathan to wonder what was troubling his friend.

Meanwhile, Naomi and Mia burst into their room, out of breath.

  “Why did you run away? Who are you hiding from?” Mia asked, as they collapsed onto the bed.

 “Alex.”Naomi’s eyes darted around the room, ensuring they were alone.

 “Why are you running away from him? Did he do something wrong to you?”

 “No, I don’t want to ignite his hatred towards me.”

“Why did you say that?”

 “It’s because of what happened twenty years ago. I feel like if we come across each other, he’ll yell at me. The best thing is to keep my distance and ignore him until I leave this place in peace.”

 “You still think he hates you and doesn’t want to be friends with you anymore?”

“Yes, we can never be friends again. We’re worlds apart. I’m more scared that if his mother finds out I’m talking to her son… you know she desperately hates my kind.”

 “Yeah, I just wish we could go back to how we were before.”

The two friends sat in silence, as they sighed in unison.

************

   Some hours later, Naomi arrived home, the evening air wrapping around her like a warm blanket. She had spent the evening preparing dinner for herself and her father, the familiar routine a comforting balm for her frazzled nerves.

As they sat down to eat, chatting happily about their day.  After dinner, they bid each other goodnight, and Naomi retreated to her room.

She closed the door behind her and walked over to a large drawing board covered with a cloth. With a gentle tug, she removed the cloth, revealing a half-finished drawing of Alex. The pencil lines were bold, the features unmistakable.

 “I just wish everything could be normal again, like it was before… Alex, I guess it can never happen.”

Her gaze dropped to the drawing, she picked up her drawing materials and began to work on the unfinished portrait. The scratch of the pencil on paper was soothing, as if the act of creating was a way to process her tangled emotions.

As she drew, her thoughts drifted back to the past, to memories of Alex and their carefree days together. The lines on the paper began to blur, and for a moment, she felt like she was back in that happy place, where life was simpler, and love was new.

TBC